Police suspect maids of helping to kill employers

JAKARTA (JP): Two house maids have allegedly helped their lovers commit robberies and murders in two different places in South Jakarta, according to police sources.

The first incident took place at Jl. Tebet Utara Dalam 27, in Tebet Timur. The owner of the house, Osamu Iguchi, 78, a retired, Japanese-born, Indonesian military officer, was killed.

The second occurred on Jl. Bona Indah, in the Bona Indah Gardens housing complex at Lebakbulus, Cilandak. The victim was Timothy Henry Kaligis, alias Timi, the four-year-old son of the house owner.

Iguchi, who lived alone in his house, was found dead at around 4:30 a.m. yesterday by his part-time maid, Isah, who arrived at the house early in the morning.

Police said that a number of valuables, including cash in US dollars and yen, was missing from the house. "But we don't know the details yet," said South Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto, who led the investigation team.

Iguchi suffered a serious wound to his head, apparently after being hit by a blunt object. Pathologists at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital also said some of his ribs had been broken. The murderers then gagged the victim and tied his legs.

"Looking at the bruises on certain parts of his body, it seems that he tried to defend himself before he was killed," officer Sisno said.

According to his eldest daughter, Lianie Iguchi, 46, his father lived in the house only with his two other maids, Rosidah and Tumini. Isah, who discovered the body, is only a part-time servant, she said.

His wife, Jcl. Wattimena, died in 1989 at the age of 72.

Based on preliminary investigations, police arrested two men, identified as Rosidi and Sarwono.

Rosidi, who apparently is Rosidah's boyfriend, is believed to have committed the crime along with three other accomplices, including Sarwono.

"The other two, whose identities are already known, are still at large," said Sisno.

Police investigators said that Rosidah often informed her boyfriend about the valuables owned by her employer.

Rosidah and Tumini are still under interrogation by the local police, who believe that Rosidah was the key figure behind the robbery and murder.

Iguchi will be buried at the Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery in recognition of his meritorious service to his adopted country.

He received at least three national honors, including the Guerrilla Star from the late President Soekarno.

He originally came here as a soldier in the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces when Japan invaded Indonesia but later defected to Indonesia. He refused to return to his homeland and decided to live in Aceh with his wife, Wattimena.

Meanwhile, police have also found many clues in the robbery case on Jl. Bona Indah which led to the killing of Timi, a kindergarten pupil. From the clues police strongly believe that the family's maid, Lipah, 20, played a significant role in the case.

Police found that the suspects stole several grams of jewelry and Rp 1 million in cash from the house.

The boy was believed to have been strangled by two men, one of whom is Lipah's boyfriend.

His body was found by Asnan, a driver of a next-door neighbor, at around 11:30 a.m.. The driver also found Lipah tied up with a piece of rope.

"It's a cover-up, a stereotyped tactic aimed at confounding us," head of the Jakarta Police Detectives, Col. Adang Rismanto, said when asked why the robbers tied the maid up if the woman was really an accomplice.

Asnan decided to enter the house after seeing two unidentified men leave in a hurry.

Several hours later, police arrested Kadir, alias Kardi, for his alleged role in the robbery and killing.

His accomplice, Ari, alias Bokir, who is also Lipah's lover, is still at large. (bsr/04)